That in controversies respecting property, and in suits between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other, and ought to be held sacred.
George Mason
Orion's Cold Fire
All the Secrets of the Universe and Some Really Important Stuff Too!
Trail by jury is a Viking invention.
Interesting. The Danes ruled a good chunk of England for a good long time. Maybe that’s how the English ended up with it too.
The Vikings used to argue cases by having one side of the boat take one point and the other side of the boat take another and argue it out. Suits at law and criminal cases both. Since there were commonly 6 oars to a side twelve men became the norm for trials
I have to hope that if Justice Kennedy had been a Viking he would have ended up as shark bait.